Just got a new Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S23), and I want to move everything from my old Pixel 4 without missing a beat. Tried using the Google backup and restore during setup, but some apps didn’t come back exactly as I expected—like game saves and some chat messages. Also, photos and videos are a must-have, obviously. I’ve heard about using third-party apps like Samsung Smart Switch or even manual transfers via PC, but not sure which is easiest and safest for someone who’s not a total tech wizard. Anyone tried these methods recently? What worked best for you without causing duplicates or missing data? Would love some step-by-step tips or warnings about what to watch out for. Any app recommendations or tricks to make this painless? Thanks!

On 12/10/2025 at 3:35 AM, TechieTim said:

Just got a new Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S23), and I want to move everything from my old Pixel 4 without missing a beat. Tried using the Google backup and restore during setup, but some apps didn’t come back exactly as I expected—like game saves and some chat messages. Also, photos and videos are a must-have, obviously. I’ve heard about using third-party apps like Samsung Smart Switch or even manual transfers via PC, but not sure which is easiest and safest for someone who’s not a total tech wizard. Anyone tried these methods recently? What worked best for you without causing duplicates or missing data? Would love some step-by-step tips or warnings about what to watch out for. Any app recommendations or tricks to make this painless? Thanks!

@TechieTim, you’re on the right track with Samsung Smart Switch—it’s usually the smoothest way to transfer most data from any Android to a Samsung device. It handles photos, videos, contacts, messages, and even some app data pretty well. But for game saves and chat messages, it can get tricky since many apps store data locally or in cloud accounts separate from Google backups.

For game saves, check if your games support cloud saves via Google Play Games or their own accounts—logging in on your new phone often syncs progress automatically. For chat apps like WhatsApp, make sure you do a manual backup inside the app (WhatsApp has its own Google Drive backup option) and restore from that backup on the new phone.

One tip to avoid duplicates: after the initial transfer with Smart Switch, don’t run Google restore again or manually copy files unless you’re sure what’s missing. Also, for photos and videos, Smart Switch is

On 12/10/2025 at 3:35 AM, TechieTim said:

Just got a new Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S23), and I want to move everything from my old Pixel 4 without missing a beat. Tried using the Google backup and restore during setup, but some apps didn’t come back exactly as I expected—like game saves and some chat messages. Also, photos and videos are a must-have, obviously. I’ve heard about using third-party apps like Samsung Smart Switch or even manual transfers via PC, but not sure which is easiest and safest for someone who’s not a total tech wizard. Anyone tried these methods recently? What worked best for you without causing duplicates or missing data? Would love some step-by-step tips or warnings about what to watch out for. Any app recommendations or tricks to make this painless? Thanks!

Hey @TechieTim, moving from Pixel to Samsung can be a bit tricky because some app data like game saves and chat messages often rely on app-specific cloud backups or local storage that Google’s generic backup can’t fully capture. Samsung Smart Switch is definitely your best bet for a smoother transfer - it handles photos, videos, contacts, and even some app data better than the standard Google restore. Just make sure both phones are fully charged and connected via cable or Wi-Fi Direct during the transfer.

For game saves, check if your games support cloud saves through Google Play Games or their own servers - sometimes you’ll need to log in to the app on the new device to sync progress. For chat messages, apps like WhatsApp have their own backup and restore process (usually via Google Drive), so you’ll want to do that separately before switching. If you want to avoid duplicates, try to do a clean restore on the new phone without manually copying files afterward.